Page 68 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

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Ethiopia Readies to Launch Second Satellite

Ethiopia is in the final stages of launching Corporation under an initiative co-funded said. The first satellite, named ETRSS-1,
its second remote-sensing satellite into by both Ethiopia and China. The satellite, was launched on December 20, 2019. It is
space, with the help of China, as the according to Dr Solomon, has improved used for weather forecast, environment,
country seeks to advance its space science resolution features that would enable it to and crop monitoring. According to the
development. In an exclusive interview with capture and send high-quality images to officials, the data collected from space
The EastAfrican, the Director-General of the its command center in Addis Ababa. "The is in high demand and is being used in
Ethiopian Space Science and Technology major mission of the second satellite is universities and research centers. Ethiopia
Institute (ESSTI), Dr Solomon Belay, said on flood and disaster prediction," he said, is among several African countries that
that the country's second satellite will adding that "agriculture and environment have built and launched satellites to
be launched on December 20, 2020, from are also its secondary missions." Further, advance economic development and
China's Taiyuan Spacecraft Launch Site. the satellite is expected to collect data in scientific innovation in line with the African
Named ET-SMART-RSS, the second earth areas in Ethiopia not covered by the first Union policy on space development
observation nano-satellite was designed one. "The first satellite couldn't cover adopted in 2017.
by Ethiopian engineers in collaboration all territories of Ethiopia but the second
with China's Smart Satellite Technology satellite will fill these gaps," Dr Solomon

Turkey to Launch Communications Satellite

Anatolia. The launch “will be followed by (another satellite,)
the 5B,” the minister said. “We will have surprises (in store) at
that time. We will be making a statement.” The competition is
aimed at garnering interest in aerospace for Turkey’s youth,
Karaismailoğlu said. “This is a competition where students can
experience all phases for satellites, from the design of a space
system to its implementation,” he added. One of the teams from
the northern Zonguldak province is also working on the launch
of the actual satellite, the minister said. The Airbus Defence and
Space Co. signed the contract for Türksat 5A and 5B, Turkey’s
first all-electric communications satellites, in 2017. The satellites
were manufactured in Britain and France with Turkish Aerospace
Industries (TAI) as Airbus’s local industrial partner, and will be
launched by SpaceX, tech heavyweight Elon Musk’s aerospace
company. "With Turksat 5A, Turkey will have a coverage area that
The Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Ministry will launch encompasses the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and South
Turkey’s new Türksat 5A communications satellite on Nov. 30, Africa," Presidential Digital Transformation Office Director Ali Taha
following the satellite’s delivery by the French company Airbus Koç told Anadolu. “With this project, Turkey will become one of 10
on October 2, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Transport countries in the world that produces its own telecommunication
and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu announced the satellites,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a
news at a model satellite competition at the Salt Lake in central speech about Türksat 6A, scheduled for 2022.

SES Signs Central America Distribution Deal over SES-6 Satellite

Satellite operator SES announced a Guatemala via the SES-6 satellite. Under analysis, as well as spaces for debate and
partnership with Guatemala-based media the deal, Trabroadcast will air the channels opinion, supported by a global strategic
consortium Grupo A and Trabroadcast, a Canal Antigua and Conectados con Dios alliance with CNN. Conectados con Dios
local integrator for several TV stations in TV via its teleport in Guatemala and using TV is a channel focusing on religious
Guatemala and Honduras, to provide a full a multiplex turnkey service on the SES-6 content.
suite of managed services to broadcast satellite. Canal Antigua offers a program
two local free-to-air channels across portfolio that provides national news,

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